The MST, Ch. 5

Simone watched as Tomas left and then walked to the phone. She quickly made a call. "Yes sir, I know you received the notice. But I called to let you know there's been a new development. You told me to call if anything unusual took place and this definitely qualifies as unusual. The subject of the paintings walked into the Gallery yesterday... Yes, sir, she wanted to know about the artist. It was really bazaar. I mean she is the subject after all. She asked who might know the artist and I directed her to Tomas. They went to lunch yesterday and Tomas came back without her... No Sir, I don't think he was able to help her, he's told me numerous times that he doesn't know much about the artist. Do you want to bid on the latest painting?... Very well, sir, I'll inform Tomas when he returns... Yes sir, if she returns I'll give you a call immediately." hanging up Simone wrote down a note and took it to Tomas's office.

A cab pulled up to a small but beautiful cafe along the Seine. Three people exited and made their way into the Cafe. " Let's take our seats," said Tomas as he directed them to their table, " I know you've been dying to find out what I meant when I told you there had been some developments."

Everyone took their seats and Blair could no longer contain herself. " Please, Tomas, What happened after you dropped me off?”

"Dear Blair it was amazing. I had just finished seeing about the shipment of your painting and had let everyone else go home. I was in my office getting ready to finish the paperwork when I heard the bell at the front door. As I walked back into the Gallery I couldn't believe my eyes. After months of looking for him, he was standing once again in my store. Our very elusive artist was steps away from me. As usual, he kept himself separated from me by putting the counter between us, and like always he had another painting for me. Knowing how quickly he would leave if I tried anything out of the ordinary. I decided to keep with our usual routine and proceeded to collect his money from the safe. I went to the counter and laid his money down and asked if I could look at his latest piece. He nodded so I uncovered it. It is obvious this man knows you, Blair." Tomas looks at Blair. "It was like you were once again in my Gallery. His paintings of you speak of a man truly in love with his subject."

"But Tomas, did he say anything? Did you ask anything of him? You didn't let him go without finding out something, did you? Blair inquired anxiously.

"It is not much but after all these years he graciously answered the one request I put to him last night. He gave me his name, just his first name, mind you, but his name all the same. It was truly momentous...I felt honored that he finally trusted me enough with that. So dumbfounded was I, that I let him leave before I could tell him about you. When I tried to catch him, he had disappeared into the night." Tomas replied.

"What is it? What's his name?" Blair eagerly asked
.

"Samuel...His name is Samuel," answered Tomas.

***

Samuel stood up from the table, cleared his dishes, and wandered back into his loft. OK, he needed a plan. If he was going to start making inroads into his past he would need a starting place. "I'll make some calls to the hospital, it's time to get all the information about the day I was brought in. But first, let's see if my paintings can tell me anything. I know the ones I sold, I'll write those down first and see if a pattern emerges."

Gathering a paper and pen, Samuel started remembering those first portraits. First, his Muse so sorrowful with an empty cradle, then his closeup of her with her hair up looking so happy. Of course, the big one that just sold of his lady and her stallion, his beautiful Lady in Pink, another of her at night with Fireworks. The one with snow all around laughing with glee. One of her holding out her hand expectantly with a Christmas tree in the background. Then there was the smaller portrait of her looking down gently holding a delicate little star. The painting he just took to Tomas of his Muse in red with the rose. So many images captured, did they mean something? Were they memories?

 There were more. He remembered one he had painted of her sitting in the park looking on the verge of tears on a sultry moonlit night. Another crying with the wind blowing her hair standing under the stars on an unfinished platform. And of course another favorite, of her in white holding a small infant beaming at the child's face with the snow falling behind her. All these paintings he had let go. Somehow knowing they would find homes where they would be loved as he loved them. He had others surrounding him but most of the paintings he kept were of Dee and his serene one, he had needed them, for they kept him grounded. But he knew there was one of his mysterious Muse he wouldn't sell and that was the one he'd just finished. That one he was going to keep, for it held a place in his heart that was as strong as the place held by Dee or the serene one..They were indeed his three Muses and now they would help him recover what he had lost.

As he pondered the list in front of him he started seeing a sort of progression in his mind. Could he put them in some sort of chronological order? If they were memories perhaps by putting them in some order they would begin to make sense.
.

 "Alright, think Samuel, which would you put first. Yes, the one in the park, that one feels right. but what next.' he continued to study the list the next one that drew him was his Muse laughing in the snow..followed by the Christmas one... then the one on the unfinished platform...next, the empty cradle, the stallion .. they were falling into place like dominoes. Yes, the next one was the painting he had just completed. He could see the images all over again but this time it was like looking at a motion picture, one image began flowing into the other. His beautiful Lady in Pink was followed by his Muse with her hair up, then his Muse and her little Star, the image of his Muse and child followed next. "Why did that sound right...His Muse and child..." Samuel paused as his heart started beating erratically was there even more to these images.. he pictured the one he had just taken to Tomas...his vision in red...suddenly Samuel felt faint he needed to sit down. What was going on...there was a ringing in his ears and the room began fading. Samuel reached the table but suddenly he slumped across the tabletop no longer aware of anything.

***

"Stupid Mother..."

"You watch your mouth young man!"

"Oh can it, lady ..You know as well as I, he's falling apart.  You gotta let me take over”

"You're not going anywhere.. you're the reason all this has happened...just look at what your actions have resulted in." and Ms. Perkins gestures to the figure of a man lying on a bed nut far from them.  He was apparently sleeping but at the moment was tossing as if caught in a nightmare. "He's been like that these last seven years and the only one capable of handling his life with any semblance of normalcy has been Samuel. Now I know none of you know Samuel, and he certainly doesn't know you, and I want to keep it that way for now. I've been letting you get to know him slowly because you need to prepare yourselves. I sense that soon all of us will be having to rejoin Todd's world. Samuel can sense it too. Unfortunately, what Samuel is feeling is starting to affect Todd's body as well as his mental state."

"Yeah well, that's what I mean, you old bat. Even Samuel can't hide from the pain much longer.  You've got to let me loose I can protect him better than anyone." Pete growls and shakes the manacles that have him secured to his chair.

"Yes, you can protect him but your anger takes over and he winds up hurt more often than helped." Pete subsides as Ms. Perkins glares at him. Once again she looks over at Todd, his tossing is getting more prevalent. She looks to her other side "Thomas, go calm your brother down. It isn't time for him to wake up." Even as she speaks the darkness around them lifts as Samuel slowly opens his eyes.

"Whoa.." he sat up shakily. "I haven't had one of those spells in a long time." he wiped his eyes and slowly rose to his feet again. Leaning on the table he gingerly took steps toward the sink grabbed a glass and filled it with water. "OK," he thought as he leaned against the counter and took a sip.

"Now that's a little scary. Maybe I need to do more than call the hospital, I think I better get checked out. I remember the doctors telling me something about stress not being so good for me ..what was it they said...My heart had been put through some serious trauma and had damage. Have I been overdoing it more than I thought, surely just trying to retrieve my memories wouldn't have been that much stress unless my own body is trying to keep those memories in check? What the heck is going on?" Feeling stronger Samuel moved and went to his sitting room, "Well ladies, nothing like a little excitement to get the morning going." he looked around."Now, what was I doing? There it is."

Samuel headed back to the table and picked up the list that had fallen to the floor. "What did I do to trigger that response." he frowned down at the list thinking back to the moment when everything began going haywire. " Okay I was putting these in some sort of order and I was looking at what I thought were the last two. It was the one with my beautiful Muse holding the child and my Muse in her red gown. What passed through my mind? I've lost it. This is so frustrating." he took the paper and sat down on the couch. Samuel stared at the list. "My Muse and the child ...my Muse and child..."That's it! My Muse and child, It was those words in my head that did it. It isn't just my Muse and a child, it is ‘My’ Muse and ‘My’ child. My god, I have a child out there!" Once again his heart started beating a little erratically. but he didn’t panic instead a deep sense of calm came over him. " I remembered something...I have a real memory to hold onto. Things are changing, I just have to make sure I'll be physically able to handle whatever memory comes next."

"Time to get the next step underway." he reached for the telephone on the table. dialed the overseas operator and said" I need the number of Philadelphia General Hospital. Thank you." he wrote down the number on the list and began dialing. "Hello, could you connect me to the Doctor in charge of the Major Trauma unit? I'll wait."

“Yes, could you tell me if Doctor Spenser Truman is still in charge of the unit? He's not. He passed away in 2007. I see. Is there anyone still on staff who worked in trauma in 2003? Oh, you did, excellent.. yes my name is Samuel Toddman...oh you remember me. I was wondering if you can recall anything about the night I was brought in. No sir, it's still pretty much a blank, but that is why I'm calling. Certain recent events have made me realize that the time is right to look into my past more. All these years I've had nothing to sink my teeth into concerning my life before the trauma. but now I'm sure some memories are trying to make their way to the surface. I felt if I could find out who brought me in, I might have a lead that would open my mental flood gates. There is one other thing...along with the memories I'm also experiencing some physical symptoms that have me alarmed, I need to know if my body can handle the stress of remembering such an obviously traumatic event. I understand you are very busy but if you could have someone research the event and check my records any and all information would be greatly appreciated. Also if you could arrange to have my medical records sent to me, Samuel Toddman, #19 Rue Morgue, Paris France .. I would be most grateful. You can reach me at this number. Thank you very much."

He hung up and took a deep breath. " Another step completed. Hopefully, this information is pertinent enough to make a difference." As he sat there, a sudden chill came over his body..like someone was walking on his grave. The menace was still out there...will that also come to the front if he continues down the path he is going. "I can't let that get in the way.. whatever ...whoever it is can't stop me now. I'll handle it, something inside me tells me I can indeed handle it."

***

Carlo set the phone down. Standing up, he moved to look out the large window overlooking the ocean. " So she's in Paris. What an interesting development...My dear Blair. What has brought you to Paris looking for this artist?" Carlo turned and walked toward a sealed room. Unlocking the keyed entry the door swung silently open. Inside the climate-controlled Gallery, there were a number of Masterpieces lining three walls but the fourth wall was reserved for one Artist, and all the artwork portrayed one subject...Blair. A large area awaited the next procurement. Carlo smiled, shut the door, and pulled out his cellphone, as he sat down facing his lovely acquisitions. "So I guess I'll have to get my little plan underway sooner than I had anticipated but no matter. I'll make it work." He made the call and waited for an answer.

" Ah, my dear Alex. It is so good to hear your voice...Have you been enjoying your time away? Well, my dear, I'm afraid the fun is over. When last we were together, we started a little plan involving a good friend of yours. Perhaps you remember. Eight years ago we came across your friend and you begged me to help you. You said you owed him and I said I would help but with conditions...You remember those conditions? That's right you were to leave everything in my hands.

Well, your friend survived but not in the way you think. I've been watching over him these eight years, but I'm afraid that the plan I had in place is about to be compromised. I need your help to make sure my plan continues. I need you to fly to Paris. Yes my love, all expenses paid...I need you to make contact with an artist by the name of Samuel Toddman. My sources say he frequents a restaurant known as Au Diable des Lombards ...Believe me, you'll have no trouble recognizing him but he will not know you.

.Now here is where it gets interesting, I need you to get him interested in you, he is a bit reclusive and probably will not be very receptive to your charms at first. But you must break down some of his barriers. It is necessary that he doesn't find out you know who he really is. He needs to remain in the dark about his true identity. No, my dear, that is all I'll tell you right now. You put everything in my hands all those years ago; it wouldn't be in your best interest to look too deeply into my plans. That could be very hazardous to your health. Now, you will call me when you make contact. Also, my dear, you should know Blair Daimler is looking for Mr. Toddman too. She has not yet gotten his name and I'm going to do everything I can to stop her from meeting him, but whatever you do, don't let her see you there. Now, remember, call me immediately upon establishing contact, and don't double-cross me, Alex, you know you can't hide from me."

Ending the conversation, he put the phone down and got up to get closer to one of the portraits. Carlo stood in front of one of his favorites, the Mother and Child portrait.."My Dear Blair.. you are going to be a problem. I must find a way to divert you from your quest. Perhaps a call to Monsieur Tomas will be sufficient at this time...I know he is enamored with you perhaps I can nudge him into pursuing you and taking your mind off of Mr. Toddman." Almost lovingly, Carlo touched the canvas then he turned and left the room.